Game Off 2024 winners

Another year, another incredible GitHub Game Off—and this one was secrets-ational! With over 500 submissions, participants turned the theme of “secrets” into an extraordinary showcase of creativity, humor, and mind-boggling mechanics. Over the course of a month, developers not only built games but also dove into each other’s creations, reviewing, rating, and leaving comments that ranged from “This is genius!” to “I laughed so hard I fell out of my chair.” From mind-erasing gadgets to cult quests for free furniture, these games had it all.

Let’s take a look at the category winners plus a few that left us hooked, spooked, and sometimes downright baffled (in the best way).

Category Winners

Overall winner – Trail of Secrets

Trail of Secrets is the platformer equivalent of peeling back the layers of an onion—if that onion was filled with hidden paths and secret endings! With 12 mysterious finales to discover, every run loops you deeper into a whimsical world of puzzles and surprises. The minimalist art style and dynamic music create a retro vibe, but the clever mechanics are pure 2025. Warning: this game may leave you questioning how many secrets your favorite platformers have been hiding all along.

1st place in Gameplay – Untitled Dungeon Crawler

Untitled Dungeon Crawler is a roguelike adventure that throws you into a procedurally generated dungeon filled with treasures, enemies, and secrets waiting to be uncovered. With a snappy and addictive gameplay loop, you’ll gather coins, smash enemies, and power up with satisfying artifact combos. Its minimalist pixel art and smooth mechanics make it a joy to play, while every run leaves you itching for “just one more try.” Warning: dungeon crawling has never been so dangerously fun!

  1st place in Graphics – Museum Servivit

Museum Servivit invites you into the shoes of Angelo, a sprightly new night keeper, as he uncovers the chilling secret hidden within the museum’s grand halls. This puzzle game blends stunning hand-drawn art, an engaging soundtrack, and clever gameplay into a delightful, mysterious package. Guided by the curator, you’ll solve puzzles, interact with artifacts, and explore the beautifully crafted world of the Servivit Museum. Equal parts charming and eerie, this game feels like Professor Layton meets Night at the Museum—a must-play for mystery lovers!

1st place in Audio – The Trial of Wasdo

The Trial of Wasdo is a spellbinding puzzle adventure where every move you make casts powerful magic. Guided by mysterious wizards, you’ll navigate a magical world full of secrets, solving intricate tile-based puzzles that test your wits and creativity. The game’s minimalist art style and enchanting soundtrack create a captivating atmosphere, while the movement-based spell system feels like casting cheat codes in real time. If you’re ready to trace your destiny and conquer the magical trial, Wasdo awaits!

1st place in Innovation – Shaki Shaki Island

Shaki Shaki Island: A charming puzzle adventure where players explore an island by drawing what they see to solve puzzles and uncover secrets. With cozy pixel art, soothing music, and clever mechanics, the game encourages creativity and curiosity as players recreate scenes to unlock progress. The Game Off 2024 submission stands out for its innovative “draw-em-up” concept, nostalgic vibe, and an atmosphere that invites exploration.

Honorable Mentions and GitHub favorites

I Checkmate Thee

I Checkmate Thee is a haunting twist on chess where you play as the king, navigating a mysterious, shadow-filled chessboard. With eerie visuals, a dark narrative, and strategic survival mechanics, your goal is to reach the other side without falling to your opponents. Each move feels like a step into the unknown, enhanced by haunting sounds and glowing scrolls that deepen the chilling atmosphere. Will you uncover the secrets behind this nightmarish game—or be checkmated by the unknown?

Secondhand

In Secondhand, Henry’s quest for the ultimate free couch takes a wild detour into cult territory—because, of course, nothing’s ever really free. This quirky adventure throws you into a world of secret handshakes, eccentric rituals, and increasingly bizarre minigames that feel like Twister for your keyboard. With stunning pixel art and a soundtrack that’s equal parts eerie and charming, this game proves that even the comfiest couch comes with strings attached…or maybe a cult.

Tiny Wizard

Tiny Wizard is a fast-paced bullet hell dungeon crawler where you explore treacherous areas as a wizard in search of magical staffs. Battle through three distinct zones, face off against unique bosses, and wield five powerful staffs with varied abilities. The game’s polished visuals, dynamic lighting, and immersive audio create an engaging atmosphere, while secret rooms add a layer of exploration to the action-packed gameplay.

Aurora

Aurora is a hauntingly beautiful reflection on family bonds, loss, and unresolved emotions. As Aurora revisits her late grandmother’s house, she’s faced with more than just memories—the house itself, steeped in grief and resentment, comes alive. With its eerie atmosphere, emotionally charged story, and multiple endings, this point-and-click adventure will tug at your heartstrings and keep you on edge. Just remember: when grandma’s ghost asks you about her favorite music, you’d better know the answer!

The Secret Scoffer of Saffron Walden

The Secret Scoffer of Saffron Walden is a hilarious and chaotic competitive eating adventure where you juggle secret food challenges with hiding your new career from your ex-wrestler wife, Doris. Set in a quirky 2002 version of Saffron Walden, you’ll fend off hallucinated octopuses while walking your dog—a wooden horse on a skateboard—and conquer absurd culinary contests to win cash prizes. With offbeat humor, fun minigames, and a nostalgic art style reminiscent of retro cartoons, this game delivers an unforgettable and unpredictable ride. Get ready to scoff—just don’t tell Doris!

Shuffle Macabre

Shuffle Macabre is a jazzy whodunit with a monstrous twist! As an undercover detective at a party full of quirky fiends, it’s your job to deduce which guest is a cold-blooded killer—all while grooving to a smooth jazz soundtrack. With procedural puzzles, clever deduction mechanics, and suspiciously charming characters, this game feels like Clue crashed an episode of Scooby-Doo. Just remember: not every party guest is a monster, but one definitely is!

Desmond’s Castle

Desmond’s Castle takes you on a knightly crusade through a 2D dungeon steeped in retro charm and ominous secrets. As the brave hero, you’ll hack, slash, and puzzle your way through 30 rooms packed with traps, undead foes, and hidden passageways to confront the dread vampire Desmond. The game’s 4-color palette, slick animations, and “tap-the-wall-for-a-surprise” mechanics give off major Dark Souls meets pixel-art vibes. Pro tip: beware the bats, and remember—if at first you don’t succeed, there might just be a cheat mode hidden somewhere!

The Search for the Secret Sapphire

In The Search for the Secret Sapphire, the real adventure starts before the game even begins! Trapped in a haunted mansion’s menu, you’ll solve cryptic puzzles, outsmart a glitchy HammerMan, and piece together the broken start button to escape. With retro art, eerie music, and a meta twist, this point-and-click adventure will keep you guessing until the very last click. Can you find the Sapphire, or will the secrets stay hidden?

Erase the Secret

In Erase the Secret, you’re not just a secret agent—you’re a memory-wiping, teleport-dashing, secret-stopping machine! Armed with the hilariously named Mind-Erase-3000, your mission is to make people forget a juicy secret before it spreads faster than office gossip. But watch out for the white-outlined VIPs—if they catch wind of the secret, game over! With its fast-paced gameplay and chaotic fun, this game will have you wishing you could erase your own mistakes… like forgetting to recharge mid-chase.

GGs! <3

As the curtain closes on this year’s GitHub Game Off, it’s clear that the theme “secrets” was a playground for some truly brilliant and bizarre ideas. From unraveling mysteries in haunted museums to dodging cultish conspiracies for the sake of a secondhand sofa, these games were bursting with creativity. Whether you’re into retro charm, mind-bending puzzles, or chaotic dungeon crawls, there’s something here for everyone.

Thank you and congratulations to all the developers who participated—your games blew us away! <3 Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’re off to try and find all 12 endings in Trail of Secrets.

Pst! That’s just the tip of the iceberg – view all of the games, ranked, rated, and reviewed by the developers on itch.io! GLHF!

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